Shia (/ˈʃiːə/; Arabic: شيعة‎ Shīʿah, from Shīʿatu ʿAwī, "adherent of Awi"), awso transwiterated Shiah and Shiʿah, is a branch of Iswam which howds dat de Iswamic prophet Muhammad designated Awi ibn Abi Tawib as his successor and de Imam (weader) after him,[1] most notabwy at de event of Ghadir Khumm, but was prevented from de cawiphate as a resuwt of de incident at Saqifah. This view primariwy contrasts wif dat of Sunni Iswam, whose adherents bewieve dat Muhammad did not appoint a successor and consider Abu Bakr, who dey cwaim was appointed Cawiph drough a Shura, i.e. community consensus in Saqifa, to be de first rightfuw Cawiph after de Prophet.[2]

Unwike de first dree Rashidun cawiphs, Awi was from de same cwan as Muhammad, Banu Hashim as weww as being de prophet's cousin and being de first mawe to become Muswim.[3]

Adherents of Shia Iswam are cawwed Shias of Awi, Shias or de Shi'a as a cowwective or Shi'i or Shi'ite individuawwy.[4] Shia Iswam is de second wargest branch of Iswam: in 2009, Shia Muswims constituted 15%[5] of de worwd's Muswim popuwation.[6]Twewver Shia (Idnā'ashariyyah) is de wargest branch of Shia Iswam,[7] wif 2012 estimates saying dat 85% of Shias were Twewvers.[8]

Awi ibn Abi Tawib

Shia Iswam is based on de Quran and de message of Muhammad attested in hadif, and on hadif taught by deir Imams.[9][10] Shia consider Awi to have been divinewy appointed as de successor to Muhammad, and as de first Imam. The Shia awso extend dis Imammah doctrine to Muhammad's famiwy, de Ahw aw-Bayt ("de peopwe/famiwy of de House"),[11] and some individuaws among his descendants, known as Imams, who dey bewieve possess speciaw spirituaw and powiticaw audority over de community, infawwibiwity and oder divinewy ordained traits.[12] Awdough dere are many Shia subsects, modern Shia Iswam has been divided into dree main groupings: Twewvers, Ismaiwis and Zaidis, wif Twewver Shia being de wargest and most infwuentiaw group among Shia.[13][14][15]

The word Shia (Arabic: شيعة‎ shīʻah/ˈʃiːʕa/) means fowwowers[16] and is de short form of de historic phrase shīʻatu ʻAwī (شيعة علي/ˈʃiːʕatu ˈʕawiː/), meaning "fowwowers of Awi", "faction of Awi", or "party of Awi".[17]Shi'a and Shiism are de forms used in Engwish, whiwe Shi'ite or Shiite, as weww as Shia, refer to its adherents.

The term for de first time was used at de time of Muhammad.[18] At present, de word refers to de Muswims who bewieve dat de weadership of de community after Muhammad bewongs to Awi and his successors. Nawbakhti states dat de term Shia refers to a group of Muswims dat at de time of Muhammad and after him regarded Awi as de Imam and Cawiph.[19]Aw-Shahrastani expresses dat de term Shia refers to dose who bewieve dat Awi is designated as de Heir, Imam and cawiph by Muhammad[20] and awso Awi's audority never goes out of his descendants.[21] For de Shia, dis conviction is impwicit in de Quran and history of Iswam. Shia schowars emphasize dat de notion of audority is winked to de famiwy of de prophets as de verses 3:33,34 shows: "Indeed, God chose Adam and Noah and de famiwy of Abraham and de famiwy of 'Imran over de worwds – (33) Descendants, some of dem from oders. And God is Hearing and Knowing. (34)"[22] Shia search for de true meaning of de revewation to get de purpose of de wife bwood and de human destiny.[23]

Shia Muswims bewieve dat just as a prophet is appointed by God awone, onwy God has de prerogative to appoint de successor to his prophet. They bewieve God chose Awi to be Muhammad's successor, infawwibwe, de first cawiph (khawifah, head of state) of Iswam. The Shias bewieve dat Muhammad designated Awi as his successor by God's command (Eid Aw Ghadir).[24][25]

Awi was Muhammad's first-cousin and cwosest wiving mawe rewative as weww as his son-in-waw, having married Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.[26][27]

Muhammad invited peopwe to Iswam in secret for dree years before he started inviting dem pubwicwy. In de fourf year of Iswam, when Muhammad was commanded to invite his cwoser rewatives to come to Iswam[28] he gadered de Banu Hashim cwan in a ceremony. At de banqwet, he was about to invite dem to Iswam when Abu Lahab interrupted him, after which everyone weft de banqwet. The Prophet ordered Awi to invite de 40 peopwe again, uh-hah-hah-hah. The second time, Muhammad announced Iswam to dem and invited dem to join, uh-hah-hah-hah.[29] He said to dem,

I offer danks to God for His mercies. I praise God, and I seek His guidance. I bewieve in Him and I put my trust in Him. I bear witness dat dere is no god except God; He has no partners; and I am His messenger. God has commanded me to invite you to His rewigion by saying: And warn dy nearest kinsfowk. I, derefore, warn you, and caww upon you to testify dat dere is no god but God, and dat I am His messenger. O ye sons of Abduw Muttawib, no one ever came to you before wif anyding better dan what I have brought to you. By accepting it, your wewfare wiww be assured in dis worwd and in de Hereafter. Who among you wiww support me in carrying out dis momentous duty? Who wiww share de burden of dis work wif me? Who wiww respond to my caww? Who wiww become my vicegerent, my deputy and my wazir?[30]

Awi was de onwy one to answer Muhammad's caww. Muhammad towd him to sit down, saying, "Wait! Perhaps someone owder dan you might respond to my caww." Muhammad den asked de members of Banu Hashim a second time. Once again, Awi was de onwy one to respond, and again, Muhammad towd him to wait. Muhammad den asked de members of Banu Hashim a dird time. Awi was stiww de onwy vowunteer. This time, Awi's offer was accepted by Muhammad. Muhammad "drew [Awi] cwose, pressed him to his heart, and said to de assembwy: 'This is my wazir, my successor and my vicegerent. Listen to him and obey his commands.'"[31] In anoder narration, when Muhammad accepted Awi's eager offer, Muhammad "drew up his arms around de generous youf, and pressed him to his bosom" and said, "Behowd my broder, my vizir, my vicegerent...Let aww wisten to his words, and obey him."[32]Sir Richard Burton writes about de banqwet in his 1898 book, saying, "It won for [Muhammad] a prosewyte worf a dousand sabers in de person of Awi, son of Abu Tawib."[33]

The event of Ghadir Khumm is an event dat took pwace in March 632. Whiwe returning from de Hajj piwgrimage, de Iswamic prophet Muhammad gadered aww de Muswims who were wif him and gave a wong sermon, uh-hah-hah-hah. This sermon incwuded Muhammad's decwaration dat "to whomsoever I am Mawwa, Awi is awso deir Mawwa." After de sermon, Muhammad instructed everyone to pwedge awwegiance to Awi. Shia Muswims bewieve dis event to be de officiaw appointment of Awi as Muhammad's successor.[34]

A portion of de sermon Muhammad dewivered is as fowwows:

Oh peopwe! Refwect on de Quran and comprehend its verses. Look into its cwear verses and do not fowwow its ambiguous parts, for by God, none shaww be abwe to expwain to you its warnings and its mysteries, nor shaww anyone cwarify its interpretation, oder dan de one dat I have grasped his hand, brought up beside mysewf, [and wifted his arm,] de one about whom I inform you dat whomever I am his master (Mawwa[a]), den Awi is his master (Mawwa); and he is Awi Ibn Abi Tawib, my broder, de executor of my wiww (Wasiyyi), whose appointment as your guardian and weader has been sent down to me from God, de mighty and de majestic.

^The word mawwa has many meanings in Arabic; however, Shias argue dat de context of de sermon makes de meaning of "mawwa" as "weader" in dis context cwear.[35] Furder, "mawwa" was not de onwy word dat Muhammad used in dis sermon to describe Awi; he awso used de words "wawi," "Imam," and "khawifa." Aww of dis togeder cements de weadership of Awi as described in de sermon dewivered by Muhammad. Furder, according to Shias, de combination of dese words proves dat Awi's weadership, as described by Muhammad in dis sermon, is bof a rewigious weadership as weww as a powiticaw weadership, as de meanings of dese words indicate.[36]

When Muhammad died in 632 CE, Awi and Muhammad's cwosest rewatives made de funeraw arrangements. Whiwe dey were preparing his body, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubaidah ibn aw Jarrah met wif de weaders of Medina and ewected Abu Bakr as cawiph. Awi did not accept de cawiphate of Abu Bakr and refused to pwedge awwegiance to him. This is indicated in bof Sunni and Shiasahih and audentic Hadif.

I am de servant of God and de broder of de Messenger of God. I am dus more wordy of dis office dan you. I shaww not give awwegiance to you [Abu Bakr & Umar] when it is more proper for you to give bay’ah to me. You have seized dis office from de Ansar using your tribaw rewationship to de Prophet as an argument against dem. Wouwd you den seize dis office from us, de ahw aw-bayt by force? Did you not cwaim before de Ansar dat you were more wordy dan dey of de cawiphate because Muhammad came from among you (but Muhammad was never from AbuBakr famiwy) – and dus dey gave you weadership and surrendered command? I now contend against you wif de same argument…It is we who are more wordy of de Messenger of God, wiving or dead. Give us our due right if you truwy have faif in God, or ewse bear de charge of wiwfuwwy doing wrong... Umar, I wiww not yiewd to your commands: I shaww not pwedge woyawty to him.' Uwtimatewy Abu Bakr said, "O 'Awi! If you do not desire to give your bay'ah, I am not going to force you for de same.

It was not untiw de murder of de dird cawiph, Udman, in 657 CE dat de Muswims in Medina in desperation invited Awi to become de fourf cawiph as de wast source,[26] and he estabwished his capitaw in Kufah in present-day Iraq.[17]

Awi's ruwe over de earwy Muswim community was often contested, and wars were waged against him. As a resuwt, he had to struggwe to maintain his power against de groups who betrayed him after giving awwegiance to his succession, or dose who wished to take his position, uh-hah-hah-hah. This dispute eventuawwy wed to de First Fitna, which was de first major civiw war widin de Iswamic Cawiphate. The Fitna began as a series of revowts fought against Awi ibn Abi Tawib, caused by de assassination of his powiticaw predecessor, Udman ibn Affan, uh-hah-hah-hah. Whiwe de rebews who accused Udman of prejudice[cwarification needed] affirmed Awi's khiwafa (cawiph-hood), dey water turned against him and fought him.[26] Awi ruwed from 656 CE to 661 CE,[26] when he was assassinated[27] whiwe prostrating in prayer (sujud). Awi's main rivaw Muawiyah den cwaimed de cawiphate.[48]

Upon de deaf of Awi, his ewder son Hasan became weader of de Muswims of Kufa, and after a series of skirmishes between de Kufa Muswims and de army of Muawiyah, Hasan agreed to cede de cawiphate to Muawiyah and maintain peace among Muswims upon certain conditions:[49][50]

Hasan den retired to Medina, where in 670 CE he was poisoned by his wife Ja'da bint aw-Ash'af ibn Qays, after being secretwy contacted by Muawiyah who wished to pass de cawiphate to his own son Yazid and saw Hasan as an obstacwe.

Husayn, Awi's younger son and broder to Hasan, initiawwy resisted cawws to wead de Muswims against Muawiyah and recwaim de cawiphate. In 680 CE, Muawiyah died and passed de cawiphate to his son Yazid, and breaking de treaty wif Hasan ibn Awi. Yazid asked Husayn to swear awwegiance (bay'ah) to him. Awi's faction, having expected de cawiphate to return to Awi's wine upon Muawiyah's deaf, saw dis as a betrayaw of de peace treaty and so Husayn rejected dis reqwest for awwegiance. There was a groundsweww of support in Kufa for Husayn to return dere and take his position as cawiph and imam, so Husayn cowwected his famiwy and fowwowers in Medina and set off for Kufa. En route to Kufa, he was bwocked by an army of Yazid's men (which incwuded peopwe from Kufa) near Karbawa (modern Iraq), and Husayn and approximatewy 72 of his famiwy and fowwowers were kiwwed in de Battwe of Karbawa.

The Shias regard Husayn as a martyr (shahid), and count him as an Imam from de Ahw aw-Bayt. They view Husayn as de defender of Iswam from annihiwation at de hands of Yazid I. Husayn is de wast imam fowwowing Awi whom aww Shiah sub-branches mutuawwy recognize.[51] The Battwe of Karbawa is often cited as de definitive break between de Shiah and Sunni sects of Iswam, and is commemorated each year by Shiah Muswims on de Day of Ashura.

Zuwfiqar wif and widout de shiewd. The Fatimid depiction of Awi's sword as carved on de Gates of Owd Cairo, namewy Bab aw-Nasr shown bewow. Two swords were captured from de tempwe of de pagan powydeist god Manāt during de Raid of Sa'd ibn Zaid aw-Ashhawi. Muhammad gave dem to Awi, saying dat one of dem was Zuwfiqar, which became de famous sword of Awi and a water symbow of Shiism.[52]

Awi's Sword and shiewd depiction at Bab aw Nasr gate waww, Cairo

Most of de earwy Shia differed onwy marginawwy from mainstream Sunnis in deir views on powiticaw weadership, but it is possibwe in dis sect to see a refinement of Shia doctrine. Earwy Sunnis traditionawwy hewd dat de powiticaw weader must come from de tribe of Muhammad—namewy, de Quraysh tribe. The Zaydis narrowed de powiticaw cwaims of Awi's supporters, cwaiming dat not just any descendant of Awi wouwd be ewigibwe to wead de Muswim community (ummah) but onwy dose mawes directwy descended from Muhammad drough de union of Awi and Fatimah. But during de Abbasid revowts, oder Shia, who came to be known as Imamiyyah (fowwowers of de Imams), fowwowed de deowogicaw schoow of Imam Ja'far aw-Sadiq, himsewf de great great grandson of Muhammad's son-in-waw Imam Awi. They asserted a more exawted rewigious rowe for Imams and insisted dat, at any given time, wheder in power or not, a singwe mawe descendant of Awi and Fatimah was de divinewy appointed Imam and de sowe audority, in his time, on aww matters of faif and waw. To dose Shia, wove of de Imams and of deir persecuted cause became as important as bewief in God's oneness and de mission of Muhammad.[citation needed]

Later most of de Shia, incwuding Twewver and Ismaiwi, became Imamis. Imami Shia bewieve dat Imams are de spirituaw and powiticaw successors to Muhammad.[citation needed] Imams are human individuaws who not onwy ruwe over de community wif justice, but awso are abwe to keep and interpret de divine waw and its esoteric meaning. The words and deeds of Muhammad and de imams are a guide and modew for de community to fowwow; as a resuwt, dey must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, drough Muhammad.[53][54]

According to dis view, dere is awways an Imam of de Age, who is de divinewy appointed audority on aww matters of faif and waw in de Muswim community. Awi was de first imam of dis wine, de rightfuw successor to Muhammad, fowwowed by mawe descendants of Muhammad drough his daughter Fatimah.[citation needed]

This difference between fowwowing eider de Ahw aw-Bayt (Muhammad's famiwy and descendants) or Cawiph Abu Bakr has shaped Shia and non-Shia views on some of de Quranic verses, de hadif (narrations from Muhammad) and oder areas of Iswam. For instance, de cowwection of hadif venerated by Shia Muswims is centered on narrations by members of de Ahw aw-Bayt and deir supporters, whiwe some hadif by narrators not bewonging to or supporting de Ahw aw-Bayt are not incwuded. Those of Abu Hurairah, for exampwe, Ibn Asakir in his Ta'rikh Kabir and Muttaqi in his Kanzu'w-Umma report dat Cawiph Umar washed him, rebuked him and forbade him to narrate hadif from Muhammad. Umar said: "Because you narrate hadif in warge numbers from de Howy Prophet, you are fit onwy for attributing wies to him. (That is, one expects a wicked man wike you to utter onwy wies about de Howy Prophet.) So you must stop narrating hadif from de Prophet; oderwise, I wiww send you to de wand of Dus." (A cwan in Yemen, to which Abu Huraira bewonged.) According to Sunnis, Awi was de fourf successor to Abu Bakr, whiwe de Shia maintain dat Awi was de first divinewy sanctioned "Imam", or successor of Muhammad. The seminaw event in Shia history is de martyrdom in 680 CE at de Battwe of Karbawa of Awi's son Hussein ibn Awi, who wed a non-awwegiance movement against de defiant cawiph (71 of Hussein's fowwowers were kiwwed as weww). Hussein came to symbowize resistance to tyranny.

It is bewieved in Twewver and Ismaiwi Shia Iswam dat 'aqw, divine wisdom, was de source of de souws of de prophets and imams and gave dem esoteric knowwedge cawwed ḥikmah and dat deir sufferings were a means of divine grace to deir devotees.[55][56] Awdough de imam was not de recipient of a divine revewation, he had a cwose rewationship wif God, drough which God guides him, and de imam, in turn, guides de peopwe. Imamate, or bewief in de divine guide, is a fundamentaw bewief in de Twewver and Ismaiwi Shia branches and is based on de concept dat God wouwd not weave humanity widout access to divine guidance.[57]

The Mahdi is de prophesied redeemer of Iswam who wiww ruwe for seven, nine or nineteen years (according to differing interpretations) before de Day of Judgment and wiww rid de worwd of eviw. According to Iswamic tradition, de Mahdi's tenure wiww coincide wif de Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Isa), who is to assist de Mahdi against de Masih ad-Dajjaw (witerawwy, de "fawse Messiah" or Antichrist). Jesus, who is considered de Masih (Messiah) in Iswam, wiww descend at de point of a white arcade, east of Damascus, dressed in yewwow robes wif his head anointed. He wiww den join de Mahdi in his war against de Dajjaw, where Jesus wiww sway Dajjaw and unite mankind.

The Shia Iswamic faif is vast and incwusive of many different groups.[17] Shia deowogicaw bewiefs and rewigious practises, such as prayers, swightwy differ from de Sunnis'. Whiwe aww Muswims pray five times daiwy, Shias have de option of combining Dhuhr wif Asr and Maghrib wif Isha', as dere are dree distinct times mentioned in de Quran, uh-hah-hah-hah. The Sunnis tend to combine onwy under certain circumstances.[58][59] Shia Iswam embodies a compwetewy independent system of rewigious interpretation and powiticaw audority in de Muswim worwd.[60][61] The originaw Shia identity referred to de fowwowers of Imam Awi,[62] and Shia deowogy was formuwated in de 2nd century AH, or after Hijra (8f century CE).[63] The first Shia governments and societies were estabwished by de end of de 3rd century AH/9f century CE. The 4f century AH /10f century CE has been referred to by Louis Massignon as "de Shiite Ismaiwi century in de history of Iswam".[64]

The Shia version of de Shahada, de Iswamic profession of faif, differs from dat of de Sunni. The Sunni Shahada states There is no god except God, Muhammad is de messenger of God, but to dis de Shia append Awi is de Wawi (custodian) of God, علي ولي الله. This phrase embodies de Shia emphasis on de inheritance of audority drough Muhammad's wineage. The dree cwauses of de Shia Shahada dus address tawhid (de unity of God), nubuwwah (de prophedood of Muhammad), and imamah (imamate, de weadership of de faif).

The basis of Awi as de "wawi" is taken from a specific verse of de qwran
[67]. A more detaiwed discussion of dis verse is avaiwabwe[68].

Ismah is de concept of infawwibiwity or "divinewy bestowed freedom from error and sin" in Iswam.[69] Muswims bewieve dat Muhammad and oder prophets in Iswam possessed ismah. Twewver and Ismaiwi Shia Muswims awso attribute de qwawity to Imams as weww as to Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, in contrast to de Zaidi, who do not attribute 'ismah to de Imams.[70] Though initiawwy beginning as a powiticaw movement, infawwibiwity and sinwessness of de imams water evowved as a distinct bewief of (non-Zaidi) Shiism.[citation needed]

According to Shia deowogians, infawwibiwity is considered a rationaw necessary precondition for spirituaw and rewigious guidance. They argue dat since God has commanded absowute obedience from dese figures dey must onwy order dat which is right. The state of infawwibiwity is based on de Shia interpretation of de verse of purification.[71][72] Thus, dey are de most pure ones, de onwy immacuwate ones preserved from, and immune to, aww uncweanness.[73] It does not mean dat supernaturaw powers prevent dem from committing a sin, but due to de fact dat dey have absowute bewief in God, dey refrain from doing anyding dat is a sin, uh-hah-hah-hah.[74]

They awso have a compwete knowwedge of God's wiww. They are in possession of aww knowwedge brought by de angews to de prophets (nabi) and de messengers (rasuw). Their knowwedge encompasses de totawity of aww times. They dus act widout fauwt in rewigious matters.[75] Shias regard Awi as de successor of Muhammad not onwy ruwing over de community in justice, but awso interpreting Iswamic practices and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infawwibwe), and appointed by God by divine decree (nass) to be de first Imam.[76] Awi is known as "perfect man" (aw-insan aw-kamiw) simiwar to Muhammad, according to Shia viewpoint.[77]

The Occuwtation is a bewief in some forms of Shia Iswam dat a messianic figure, a hidden imam known as de Mahdi, wiww one day return and fiww de worwd wif justice. According to de Twewver Shia, de main goaw of Mahdi wiww be to estabwish an Iswamic state and to appwy Iswamic waws dat were reveawed to Muhammad.[78]

Some Shia, such as de Zaidi and Nizari Ismaiwi, do not bewieve in de idea of de Occuwtation, uh-hah-hah-hah. The groups which do bewieve in it differ as to which wineage of de Imamate is vawid, and derefore which individuaw has gone into occuwtation, uh-hah-hah-hah. They bewieve dere are many signs dat wiww indicate de time of his return, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Twewver Shia Muswims bewieve dat de Mahdi (de twewff imam, Muhammad aw-Mahdi) is awready on Earf, is in occuwtation and wiww return at de end of time. Fatimid/ Bohra/ Dawoodi Bohra bewieve de same but for deir 21st Tayyib, whereas Sunnis bewieve de future Mahdi has not yet arrived on Earf.[79]

It is bewieved dat de armaments and sacred items of aww of de Prophets, incwuding Muhammad, were handed down in succession to de Imams of Ahw aw-Bayt. In Kitab aw-Kafi, Ja'far aw-Sadiq mentions dat "wif me are de arms of de Messenger of Awwah. It is not disputabwe."[80]

Furder, he cwaims dat wif him is de sword of de Messenger of God, his coat of arms, his Lamam (pennon) and his hewmet. In addition, he mentions dat wif him is de fwag of de Messenger of God, de victorious. Wif him is de Staff of Moses, de ring of Sowomon, son of David, and de tray on which Moses used to offer his offerings. Wif him is de name dat whenever de Messenger of God wouwd pwace it between de Muswims and pagans no arrow from de pagans wouwd reach de Muswims. Wif him is de simiwar object dat angews brought.[80]

Aw-Sadiq awso narrates dat de passing down of armaments is synonymous to receiving de Imamat (weadership), simiwar to how de Ark in de house of de Israewites signawed prophet-hood.[80]

Historians dispute de origin of Shia Iswam, wif many Western schowars positing dat Shiism began as a powiticaw faction rader dan a truwy rewigious movement.[81][82] Oder schowars disagree, considering dis concept of rewigious-powiticaw separation to be an anachronistic appwication of a Western concept.[83]

Fowwowing de Battwe of Karbawa (680 AD), as various Shia-affiwiated groups diffused in de emerging Iswamic worwd, severaw nations arose based on a Shia weadership or popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Buyids (934–1055 CE): at its peak consisted of warge portions of modern Iraq and Iran, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Iwkhanate (1256–1335): a Mongowkhanate estabwished in Persia in de 13f century, considered a part of de Mongow Empire. The Iwkhanate was based, originawwy, on Genghis Khan's campaigns in de Khwarezmid Empire in 1219–1224, and founded by Genghis's grandson, Huwagu, in territories which today comprise most of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Pakistan, uh-hah-hah-hah. The Iwkhanate initiawwy embraced many rewigions, but was particuwarwy sympadetic to Buddhism and Christianity. Later Iwkhanate ruwers, beginning wif Ghazan in 1295, embraced Iswam his broder Öwjaitü promoted Shia Iswam.[cwarification needed]

Bahmanis (1347–1527 CE): a Shia Muswim state of de Deccan in soudern India and one of de great medievaw Indian kingdoms.[84] Bahmanid Suwtanate was de first independent Iswamic Kingdom in Souf India.[85]

A major turning point in Shia history was de Safavid dynasty (1501–1736) in Persia. This caused a number of changes in de Muswim worwd:

The ending of de rewative mutuaw towerance between Sunnis and Shias dat existed from de time of de Mongow conqwests onwards and de resurgence of antagonism between de two groups.

Initiaw dependence of Shiite cwerics on de state fowwowed by de emergence of an independent body of uwama capabwe of taking a powiticaw stand different from officiaw powicies.[110]

The growf in importance of Iranian centers of rewigious wearning and change from Twewver Shiism being a predominantwy Arab phenomenon, uh-hah-hah-hah.[111]

The growf of de Akhbari Schoow which preached dat onwy de Quran, hadif are to be bases for verdicts, rejecting de use of reasoning.

Wif de faww of de Safavids, de state in Persia – incwuding de state system of courts wif government-appointed judges (qadis) – became much weaker. This gave de Sharia courts of mujtahids an opportunity to fiww de wegaw vacuum and enabwed de uwama to assert deir judiciaw audority. The Usuwi Schoow awso increased in strengf at dis time.[112]

According to Shia Muswims, one of de wingering probwems in estimating Shia popuwation is dat unwess Shia form a significant minority in a Muswim country, de entire popuwation is often wisted as Sunni. The reverse, however, has not hewd true, which may contribute to imprecise estimates of de size of each sect. For exampwe, de 1926 rise of de House of Saud in Arabia brought officiaw discrimination against Shia.[113] Shiites are estimated to be 21% of de Muswim popuwation in Souf Asia, awdough de totaw number is difficuwt to estimate due to dat reason, uh-hah-hah-hah.[114]
It is estimated dat 15%[115][116][117][118] of de worwd's Muswims are Shia. They may number up to 200 miwwion as of 2009.[117]

The Shia majority countries are Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain.[119][120] They awso form de pwurawity (de wargest group, but not de majority) in Lebanon. Shias constitute 36.3% of entire wocaw popuwation and 38.6% of de wocaw Muswim popuwation of de Middwe East incwuding Iran, uh-hah-hah-hah.[121]

Shia Muswims constitute 27-35% of de popuwation in Lebanon, and as per some estimates from 35%[119][122] to over 35–40% of de popuwation in Yemen,[123] 30%–35% of de citizen popuwation in Kuwait (no figures exist for de non-citizen popuwation),[124][125] over 20% in Turkey,[117][126] 5–20% of de popuwation in Pakistan,[127][117] and 10–19% of Afghanistan's popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[128][129]

Significant Shia communities exist in de coastaw regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik).[131] The Shia presence is negwigibwe ewsewhere in Soudeast Asia, where Muswims are predominantwy Shafi'i Sunnis.

The history of Sunni-Shia rewations has often invowved viowence, dating back to de earwiest devewopment of de two competing sects.
At various times Shia groups have faced persecution, uh-hah-hah-hah.[154][155][156][157][158][159]

Miwitariwy estabwished and howding controw over de Umayyad government, many Sunni ruwers perceived de Shia as a dreat – to bof deir powiticaw and deir rewigious audority.[160] The Sunni ruwers under de Umayyads sought to marginawize de Shia minority, and water de Abbasids turned on deir Shia awwies and imprisoned, persecuted, and kiwwed dem. The persecution of de Shia droughout history by Sunni co-rewigionists has often been characterized by brutaw and genocidaw acts. Comprising onwy about 10–15% of de entire Muswim popuwation, de Shia remain a marginawized community to dis day in many Sunni Arab dominant countries widout de rights to practice deir rewigion and organize.[161]

In 1514 de Ottomansuwtan, Sewim I, ordered de massacre of 40,000 Anatowian Shia.[162] According to Jawaw Aw-e-Ahmad, "Suwtan Sewim I carried dings so far dat he announced dat de kiwwing of one Shiite had as much oderworwdwy reward as kiwwing 70 Christians."[163]

In 1801 de Aw Saud-Wahhabi armies attacked and sacked Karbawa, de Shia shrine in eastern Iraq dat commemorates de deaf of Husayn, uh-hah-hah-hah.[164]

The fowwowing days are some of de most important howidays observed by Shia Muswims:

Eid aw-Ghadeer, which is de anniversary of de Ghadir Khum, de occasion when Muhammad announced Awi's Imamate before a muwtitude of Muswims.[168] Eid aw-Ghadeer is hewd on de 18f of Dhu aw-Hijjah.

The Mourning of Muharram and de Day of Ashura for Shia commemorates Husayn ibn Awi's martyrdom. Husayn was a grandson of Muhammad who was kiwwed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning which occurs on de 10f of Muharram.

Arba'een commemorates de suffering of de women and chiwdren of Husayn ibn Awi's househowd. After Husayn was kiwwed, dey were marched over de desert, from Karbawa (centraw Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus, Syria). Many chiwdren (some of whom were direct descendants of Muhammad) died of dirst and exposure awong de route. Arbaein occurs on de 20f of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah.

Most of de Shia howy pwaces in Saudi Arabia have been destroyed by de warriors of de Ikhwan, de most notabwe being de tombs of de Imams in de Aw-Baqi' cemetery in 1925.[172] In 2006, a bomb destroyed de shrine of Aw-Askari Mosqwe.[173]

Twewver Shia or de Idnā'ashariyyah' is de wargest branch of Shia Iswam, and de term Shia Muswim often refers to de Twewvers by defauwt. The term Twewver is derived from de doctrine of bewieving in twewve divinewy ordained weaders, known as The Twewve Imams. Twewver Shia are awso known as Imami or Ja'fari, originated from de name of de 6f Imam, Ja'far aw-Sadiq, who ewaborated de twewver jurisprudence.[174]

Justice, de concept of moraw rightness based on edics, fairness, and eqwity, awong wif de punishment of de breach of said edics.

Prophedood, de institution by which God sends emissaries, or prophets, to guide mankind.

Leadership, a divine institution which succeeded de institution of Prophedood. Its appointees (imams) are divinewy appointed.

Last Judgment, God's finaw assessment of humanity.

More specificawwy, dese principwes are known as Usuw aw-Madhhab (principwes of de Shia sect) according to Twewver Shias which differ from Daruriyat aw-Din (Necessities of Rewigion) which are principwes in order for one to be a Muswim. The Necessities of Rewigion do not incwude Leadership (Imamah) as it is not a reqwirement in order for one to be recognized as a Muswim. However, dis category, according to Twewver schowars wike Ayatowwah aw-Khoei, does incwude bewief in God, Prophedood, de Day of Resurrection and oder "necessities" (wike bewief in angews). In dis regard, Twewver Shias draw a distinction in terms of bewieving in de main principwes of Iswam on de one hand, and specificawwy Shia doctrines wike Imamah on de oder.

Besides de Quran which is common to aww Muswims, de Shiah derive guidance from books of traditions ("ḥadīf") attributed to Muhammad and de Twewve Imams. Bewow is a wist of some of de most prominent of dese books:

The Twewve Imams are de spirituaw and powiticaw successors to Muhammad for de Twewvers.[citation needed] According to de deowogy of Twewvers, de successor of Muhammad is an infawwibwe human individuaw who not onwy ruwes over de community wif justice but awso is abwe to keep and interpret de divine waw and its esoteric meaning. The words and deeds of Muhammad and de imams are a guide and modew for de community to fowwow; as a resuwt, dey must be free from error and sin, and Imams must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, drough Muhammad.[53][54] Each imam was de son of de previous imam, wif de exception of Hussein ibn Awi, who was de broder of Hasan ibn Awi.[citation needed] The twewff and finaw imam is Muhammad aw-Mahdi, who is bewieved by de Twewvers to be currentwy awive and in occuwtation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[57]

The Twewver jurisprudence is cawwed Ja'fari jurisprudence. In dis jurisprudenceSunnah is considered to be de oraw traditions of Muhammad and deir impwementation and interpretation by de twewve Imams. There are dree schoows of Ja'fari jurisprudence: Usuwi, Akhbari, and Shaykhi. The Usuwi schoow is by far de wargest of de dree. Twewver groups dat do not fowwow Ja'fari jurisprudence incwude Awevi, Bektashi, and Qiziwbash.

The five primary piwwars of Iswam to de Ja'fari jurisprudence, known as Usuw' ad-Din. They are at variance wif de standard Sunni "five piwwars of rewigion, uh-hah-hah-hah." The Shias' primary "piwwars" are:

Khums) (20% tax on yearwy business earnings after deduction of commerciaw expenses.)

According to Twewvers, defining and interpretation of Iswamic jurisprudence is de responsibiwity of Muhammad and de twewve Imams. As de 12f Imam is in occuwtation, it is de duty of cwerics to refer to de Iswamic witerature such as de Quran and hadif and identify wegaw decisions widin de confines of Iswamic waw to provide means to deaw wif current issues from an Iswamic perspective. In oder words, Twewver cwerics provide Guardianship of de Iswamic Jurisprudence, which was defined by Muhammad and his twewve successors. This process is known as Ijtihad and de cwerics are known as Marja', meaning reference. The wabews Awwamah and Ayatowwah are in use for Twewver cwerics.

Zaidiyya, Zaidism or Zaydi is a Shia schoow named after Zayd ibn Awi. Fowwowers of de Zaidi fiqh are cawwed Zaidis (or occasionawwy Fivers). However, dere is awso a group cawwed Zaidi Wasītīs who are Twewvers (see bewow). Zaidis constitute roughwy 42–47% of de popuwation of Yemen, uh-hah-hah-hah.[185][186]

The Zaydis, Twewvers, and Ismaiwis aww recognize de same first four Imams; however, de Zaidis recognize Zayd ibn Awi as de fiff. After de time of Zayd ibn Awi, de Zaidis recognized dat any descendant of Hasan ibn Awi or Hussein ibn Awi couwd be imam after fuwfiwwing certain conditions.[187] Oder weww-known Zaidi Imams in history were Yahya ibn Zayd, Muhammad aw-Nafs aw-Zakiyya and Ibrahim ibn Abduwwah.

The Zaidi doctrine of Imamah does not presuppose de infawwibiwity of de imam nor dat de Imams receive divine guidance. Zaidis awso do not bewieve dat de Imamate must pass from fader to son but bewieve it can be hewd by any Sayyid descended from eider Hasan ibn Awi or Hussein ibn Awi (as was de case after de deaf of Hasan ibn Awi). Historicawwy, Zaidis hewd dat Zayd was de rightfuw successor of de 4f imam since he wed a rebewwion against de Umayyads in protest of deir tyranny and corruption, uh-hah-hah-hah. Muhammad aw-Baqir did not engage in powiticaw action, and de fowwowers of Zayd bewieved dat a true imam must fight against corrupt ruwers.

In matters of Iswamic jurisprudence, de Zaydis fowwow Zayd ibn Awi's teachings which are documented in his book Majmu'w Fiqh (in Arabic: مجموع الفِقه). Aw-Hadi iwa'w-Haqq Yahya, founder of de Zaydi state in Yemen, instituted ewements of de jurisprudentiaw tradition of de Sunni Muswim jurist Abū Ḥanīfa, and as a resuwt, Zaydi jurisprudence today continues somewhat parawwew to dat of de Hanafis.

A Zaydi state was estabwished in Giwan, Deywaman and Tabaristan (nordern Iran) in 864 C.E. by de Awavids;[195] it wasted untiw de deaf of its weader at de hand of de Samanids in 928 C.E. Roughwy forty years water de state was revived in Giwan and survived under Hasanid weaders untiw 1126 C.E. Afterwards, from de 12f to 13f centuries, de Zaydis of Deywaman, Giwan and Tabaristan den acknowwedged de Zaydi Imams of Yemen or rivaw Zaydi Imams widin Iran, uh-hah-hah-hah.[196]

The Buyids were initiawwy Zaidi[197] as were de Banu Ukhaidhir ruwers of aw-Yamama in de 9f and 10f centuries.[198] The weader of de Zaydi community took de titwe of Cawiph. As such, de ruwer of Yemen was known as de Cawiph, aw-Hadi Yahya bin aw-Hussain bin aw-Qasim ar-Rassi Rassids (a descendant of Hasan ibn Awi de son of Awi) who, at Sa'dah, in 893–7 CE, founded de Zaydi Imamate, and dis system continued untiw de middwe of de 20f century, when de revowution of 1962 CE deposed de Zaydi Imam. The founding Zaidism of Yemen was of de Jarudiyya group; however, wif increasing interaction wif Hanafi and Shafi'i rites of Sunni Iswam, dere was a shift from de Jarudiyya group to de Suwaimaniyya, Tabiriyya, Butriyya or Sawihiyya groups.[199] Zaidis form de second dominant rewigious group in Yemen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Currentwy, dey constitute about 40–45% of de popuwation in Yemen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Ja'faris and Isma'iwis are 2–5%.[200] In Saudi Arabia, it is estimated dat dere are over 1 miwwion Zaydis (primariwy in de western provinces).

Ismaiwis gain deir name from deir acceptance of Isma'iw ibn Jafar as de divinewy appointed spirituaw successor (Imam) to Ja'far aw-Sadiq, wherein dey differ from de Twewvers, who accept Musa aw-Kadhim, younger broder of Isma'iw, as de true Imam.

After de deaf or Occuwtation of Muhammad ibn Ismaiww in de 8f century, de teachings of Ismaiwism furder transformed into de bewief system as it is known today, wif an expwicit concentration on de deeper, esoteric meaning (bāṭin) of de faif. Wif de eventuaw devewopment of Twewverism into de more witerawistic (zahir) oriented Akhbari and water Usuwi schoows of dought, Shiaism devewoped in two separate directions: de metaphoricaw Ismaiwwi group focusing on de mysticaw paf and nature of God and de divine manifestation in de personage of de "Imam of de Time" as de "Face of God", wif de more witerawistic Twewver group focusing on divine waw (sharī'ah) and de deeds and sayings (sunnah) of Muhammad and his successors (de Ahwu w-Bayt), who as A'immah were guides and a wight to God.[204]

Though dere are severaw sub-groupings widin de Ismaiwis, de term in today's vernacuwar generawwy refers to The Shia Imami Ismaiwi Muswim (Nizari community), generawwy known as de Ismaiwis, who are fowwowers of de Aga Khan and de wargest group among de Ismaiwiyyah. Anoder community which fawws under de Isma'iw's are de Dawoodi Bohras, wed by a Da'i aw-Mutwaq as representative of a hidden imam. Whiwe dere are many oder branches wif extremewy differing exterior practices, much of de spirituaw deowogy has remained de same since de days of de faif's earwy Imams. In recent centuries Ismaiwis have wargewy been an Indo-Iranian community,[205] but dey are found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Pawestine, Saudi Arabia,[206] Yemen, China,[207] Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa and Souf Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe, Austrawia, New Zeawand, and Norf America.[208]

After de deaf of Isma'iw ibn Jafar, many Ismaiwis bewieved dat one day de messianic Mahdi, whom dey bewieved to be Muhammad ibn Ismaiw, wouwd return and estabwish an age of justice. One group incwuded de viowent Qarmatians, who had a stronghowd in Bahrain, uh-hah-hah-hah. In contrast, some Ismaiwis bewieved de Imamate did continue, and dat de Imams were in occuwtation and stiww communicated and taught deir fowwowers drough a network of dawah "Missionaries".

In 909, Abduwwah aw-Mahdi Biwwah, a cwaimant to de Ismaiwi Imamate, estabwished de Fatimid Cawiphate. During dis period, dree wineages of imams formed. The first branch, known today as de Druze, began wif Aw-Hakim bi-Amr Awwah. Born in 386 AH (985), he ascended as ruwer at de age of eweven, uh-hah-hah-hah. The typicaw rewigiouswy towerant Fatimid Empire saw much persecution under his reign, uh-hah-hah-hah. When in 411 AH (1021) his muwe returned widout him, soaked in bwood, a rewigious group dat was forming in his wifetime broke off from mainstream Ismaiwism and did not acknowwedge his successor. Later to be known as de Druze, dey bewieve aw-Hakim to be de incarnation of God and de prophesied Mahdi who wouwd one day return and bring justice to de worwd.[209] The faif furder spwit from Ismaiwism as it devewoped very unusuaw doctrines which often cwass it separatewy from bof Ismaiwiyyah and Iswam.

The second spwit occurred fowwowing de deaf of Ma'ad aw-Mustansir Biwwah in 487 AH (1094). His ruwe was de wongest of any cawiph in any Iswamic empire. Upon his passing away, his sons, Nizar de owder, and Aw-Musta'wi, de younger, fought for powiticaw and spirituaw controw of de dynasty. Nizar was defeated and jaiwed, but according to Nizari tradition, his son escaped to Awamut, where de Iranian Ismaiwi had accepted his cwaim.[210] From here on, de Nizari Ismaiwi community has continued wif a present, wiving Imam.

The Mustaawi wine spwit again between de Taiyabi (Dawoodi Bohra is its main branch) and de Hafizi. The former cwaim dat At-Tayyib Abi w-Qasim (son of Aw-Amir bi-Ahkami w-Lah) and de imams fowwowing him went into a period of anonymity (Dawr-e-Satr) and appointed a Da'i aw-Mutwaq to guide de community, in a simiwar manner as de Ismaiwi had wived after de deaf of Muhammad ibn Ismaiw. The watter (Hafizi) cwaimed dat de ruwing Fatimid Cawiph was de Imam, and dey died out wif de faww of de Fatimid Empire.

The Nizaris pwace importance on a schowarwy institution because of de existence of a present Imam. The Imam of de Age defines de jurisprudence, and his guidance may differ wif Imams previous to him because of different times and circumstances. For Nizari Ismaiwis, de Imam is Karim aw-Husayni Aga Khan IV. The Nizari wine of Imams has continued to dis day as an unending wine.

Divine weadership has continued in de Bohra branch drough de institution of de "Unrestricted Missionary" Dai. According to Bohra tradition, before de wast Imam, At-Tayyib Abi w-Qasim, went into secwusion, his fader, de 20f Aw-Amir bi-Ahkami w-Lah, had instructed Aw-Hurra Aw-Mawika de Mawika (Queen consort) in Yemen to appoint a vicegerent after de secwusion – de Unrestricted Missionary, who as de Imam's vicegerent has fuww audority to govern de community in aww matters bof spirituaw and temporaw whiwe de wineage of Mustaawi-Tayyibi Imams remains in secwusion (Dawr-e-Satr). The dree branches of de Mustaawi, de Awavi Bohra, Suwaimani Bohra and Dawoodi Bohra, differ on who de current Unrestricted Missionary is.

According to Awwameh Muzaffar, God gives humans de facuwty of reason and argument. Awso, God orders humans to spend time dinking carefuwwy on creation whiwe he refers to aww creations as his signs of power and gwory. These signs encompass aww of de universe. Furdermore, dere is a simiwarity between humans as de wittwe worwd and de universe as de warge worwd. God does not accept de faif of dose who fowwow him widout dinking and onwy wif imitation, but awso God bwames dem for such actions.
In oder words, humans have to dink about de universe wif reason and intewwect, a facuwty bestowed on us by God. Since dere is more insistence on de facuwty of intewwect among Shia, even evawuating de cwaims of someone who cwaims prophecy is on de basis of intewwect.[212][213]

Praying or Du’a in Shia has an important pwace as Muhammad described it as a weapon of de bewiever. In fact, Du’a considered as someding dat is a feature of Shia community in a sense. Performing Du’a in Shia has a speciaw rituaw. Because of dis, dere are many books written on de conditions of praying among Shia. Most of ad’ayieh transferred from Muhammad's househowd and den by many books in which we can observe de audentic teachings of Muhammad and his househowd according to Shia. The weaderships of Shia awways invited deir fowwowers to recite Du’a. For instance, Awi has considered wif de subject of Du’a because of his weadership in monodeism.[214][215]

^Shi'a is an awternative spewwing of Shia, and Shi'ite of Shiite. In subseqwent sections, de spewwings Shia and Shiite are adopted for consistency, except where de awternative spewwing is in de titwe of a reference.

^Saunders, John Joseph (1990). A History of Medievaw Iswam. Routwedge. p. 133. ISBN0415059143. Under Mu’izz (955-975) de Fatimids reached de height of deir gwory, and de universaw triumph of isma ‘iwism appeared not far distant. The fourf Fatimid Cawiph is an attractive character: humane and generous, simpwe and just, he was a good administrator, towerant and conciwiatory. Served by one of de greatest generaws of de age, Jawhar aw-Rumi, a former Greek swave, he took fuwwest advantage of de growing confusion in de Sunnite worwd.